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Winning on the Third Front

This month, the state of Israel began an extensive military operation designed to restore order and allow Israeli citizens to go back and live their lives in peace.

For most citizens of Israel, Operation Protective Edge is being fought on two fronts. The first is around the Gaza Strip, where our soldiers are working day and night, risking their lives to stem both the terror and the constant rocket fire from Gaza and hopefully ensure that this operation will be the last of its kind.

The second front is the home front. For many Israeli citizens, rocket fire has been part of an unimaginable "routine" for over a decade. For others, it’s become a new element that is undermining the very fabric of everyday life. All of us, myself and my family included, are faced with new challenges. Now more than ever, we need to be responsible and maintain our composure.

But, as we learned from previous operations, the conflict has a third front, an international front, where public opinion is formed. Unlike previous years, the state of Israel is investing tremendous resources trying to win this battle, a battle in which Israel has the best supporters in the world. Members of Jewish communities around the globe are serving as the voice of a country that they see as a significant part of their identity.

The Jewish world stands firm in the face of the systematic spread of disinformation and efforts to delegitimize Israel. In an expression of true solidarity, members of the Jewish community stand face to face with our harshest critics on the front lines of this third front.

We are seeing Jewish organizations use every resource at their disposal to defend Israel’s name to ensure that the reasons Operation Protective Edge was launched, and its objectives, will be fairly represented around the world. This will allow Israel the breathing room it needs on the international stage to reach its objective of keeping its citizens safe from rocket attacks.

But the support does not stop there. Over the past few days, we have been witnessing Jews from around the world ardently raising resources and provisions, while maintaining contact with their relatives living in the country through the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs.

Dvir Kahana is the general manager of the Ministry for Diaspora Affairs on Operation Protective Edge.